Tag: Easter

Death, then Life

~ Barbara ~ 3 Comments

Jesus’ disciples didn’t seem to process His words when Jesus told them He would die. Did they recall what He said when they watched the soldiers arrest Him? Did they hang on to hope, or did their cherished hopes wither? Even though Jesus told them He would rise from the dead, we don’t see evidence of anticipation. As the night of His arrest lengthened, I believe their fear and confusion grew. And then their worst nightmare happened—Jesus was sentenced to death and crucified.

We don’t like death; it’s so final. We don’t like thinking about the death of those we love or even those we barely know. How about our own death? I hope we don’t dread it, after all, it is the only door to Heaven. You may even be uncomfortable reading this post, but press on.

Good Friday, then Easter. Death first, then life. In eternity, we will find no dread, no fear, no suffering. We will only know joy, wholeness, and freedom. This inheritance is possible because Jesus died and rose to life. He ascended and is preparing a place for us, eager for us to join Him.

The somberness of Good Friday inspires our anticipation of Easter’s victory, which in turn, ignites our eagerness for eternal life. Death, then life, for Jesus, for us. Anticipate it!

For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command,
with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, 
and the dead in Christ will rise first. 
After that, we who are still alive and are left 
will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And so we will be with the Lord forever. 
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

The Door Flung Open

~ Barbara ~ Leave a comment

Darkness extinguished light, death stole life, a stone sealed the tomb.

How final, decisive, absolute!

But…

Heaven’s door was flung open.

The way to eternity was cleared.

Light broke out of the darkness and exposed

the shadows in our minds,

the dark places in our hearts,

the shame of our souls—

and hope entered.

Our debt was forgiven, our sin absolved, our condemnation wiped away.

The door was opened and, forever after, people from every walk and every nation, throughout all time and space, have heeded God’s invitation to step into the light and be made whole.

That is the Easter story.

The Carpenter and the Crossbeam

~ Barbara ~ Leave a comment

The son of a carpenter, Jesus grew up feeling the grain and inhaling the fragrance of hewn wood. It is not a stretch to imagine Him hefting a hammer or pulling a saw to construct…what? A table? A chair or a baby’s cradle? Woodworking was not His calling, but it was His trade.

Years later wood became a symbol of His calling when He was forced to carry a crossbeam up to Golgotha. This time the wood Jesus held was not to create something useful, but to accommodate His death. It hurts to think about it.

The severity of His suffering, coupled with the humiliating shame, causes me to squirm. His attitude makes me even more uncomfortable—no objecting, defending, ranting—just quiet submission. And here’s what I find really unbearable. Jesus created that wood. He created the hill on which He would die. He created the Jews who condemned Him, the soldiers who mistreated Him, the thieves who hung next to Him.

Jesus, Creator God, suffering and dying by the products of His own creative power. How great was His love for us that He would pay such a price—a price we cannot calculate or fathom.

We call tomorrow “Good Friday”—only so because Easter follows. Our sins are erased from the record. The door to a merciful God is open wide. Our forever is secure.

Jesus, thank you for carrying that crossbeam.

Finding Hope, 65 Meditations for a Broken Heart

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